Post by Brian Mackay on Sept 22, 2010 4:42:30 GMT -5
Thurso 4 V Alness United 0 - report from Iain Grant
Without setting the heather on fire, the Vikings completed an early season league and cup double over Alness.
Saturday’s North Caledonian Cup success earned Stevie Reid’s men a quick return visit to Golspie on semi-final business.
Thurso made too basic mistakes for the manager to be satisfied though he was heartened by a solid defensive display.
Wick Academy stalwart Stewart Ross was a surprise inclusion as a trialist after centre-back Grant Steven had to call off late on.
Youngster Craig Trueman also made his first start in a victory marred by a nasty-looking ankle injury sustained late on by Sean Stewart, a second half replacement for Trueman.
It was to prove a frustrating afternoon for the league’s leading scorer last year Mark Nichol.
Try as he might, the Thurso hitman was fated not to add to the brace he scored in the earlier 5-0 league win at Alness.
On 10 minutes, he looked to have done everything right only to see his near-post connection with Lee MacDougall’s corner clatter back off the junction of the bar and the right-hand post.
He then should have done better than direct a clear opening straight into the arms of keeper Scott McGruer.
A corner from the left was the source of Thurso’s first goal on 29 minutes – a purposeful, far-post finish from Kyle Ross.
Thurso continued to call the shots but their cause was regularly undone by sloppy approach play in the final third.
The visitors showed commendable enterprise in building from the back while their hard-working Duncan Morris made the most of thin rations in his lone role up front.
Nichol was again out of luck on 55 minutes when he gathered a James Murray feed before seeing his booming dive from the edge of the penalty box skim over the bar.
Two minutes later, the striker was denied by a fine, stop from MacGruer.
The visiting defence survived a series of setpieces before Murray doubled the lead on 67 minutes when he cut in from the right wing before steering a shot which appeared to take a deflection as it beat MacGruer on his near post,
Six minutes later, the Easter Ross side were horribly exposed after giving up possession cheaply deep in their half.
With a three-on-one in his favour, Jamie MacKenzie fed Nichol who in turn played in Sandy Sutherland to finish.
Sutherland could have got another before Kyle Ross weighed in with second four minutes from time.
Young sub Murray Mackintosh made an immediate impact when he won possession wide on the left and picked out Nichol.
Nichol, in turn, found Ross who pivoted in the box before firing low past MacGruer.
Michael Petrie then featured with a 40 metre weaving, solo run which ended with him being crowded out at the edge of the six yard box.
Mackintosh had a shot blocked before the visitors almost got a consolation from the lively Lewis Sinclair.
The sub pepped up his side’s attack and went desperately close on 88 minutes when he drifted in from his right wing beat to fire a raking, low effort which shaded less than a foot wide of Michael Gray’s right post with the keeper beaten.
Stewart was hurt during the attack after which he needed lengthy treatment before being carried off the field.
Sinclair was later yellow-carded to add to cautions shown to Morris and Andy MacDonald.
Afterwards, Thurso manager Stevie Reid said: “I thought we were pretty pedestrian in the first half – we seemed to be going through the motions.
“I thought we upped the pace a bit after the interval and created a good few chances.
“Without hitting top gear, we were pretty comfortable.”
Thurso – Gray, Petrie, S. Ross, Bremner, Trueman (Stewart 55), K. Ross, MacKenzie, Nichol, S. Sutherland (Mackintosh 85), Murray (Wann 73), MacDougall. Sub (unused) – M. Sutherland.
Alness United – MacGruer, Campbell, Bremner, Stewart, Niven,
Douglas, Gilliland, Doull, (Mulligan 70), Murray (MacDonald 84), Morris, Rose (Sinclair (70). Subs (unused) – Muir and Mackay
Ref – Mr G. Elder.
Without setting the heather on fire, the Vikings completed an early season league and cup double over Alness.
Saturday’s North Caledonian Cup success earned Stevie Reid’s men a quick return visit to Golspie on semi-final business.
Thurso made too basic mistakes for the manager to be satisfied though he was heartened by a solid defensive display.
Wick Academy stalwart Stewart Ross was a surprise inclusion as a trialist after centre-back Grant Steven had to call off late on.
Youngster Craig Trueman also made his first start in a victory marred by a nasty-looking ankle injury sustained late on by Sean Stewart, a second half replacement for Trueman.
It was to prove a frustrating afternoon for the league’s leading scorer last year Mark Nichol.
Try as he might, the Thurso hitman was fated not to add to the brace he scored in the earlier 5-0 league win at Alness.
On 10 minutes, he looked to have done everything right only to see his near-post connection with Lee MacDougall’s corner clatter back off the junction of the bar and the right-hand post.
He then should have done better than direct a clear opening straight into the arms of keeper Scott McGruer.
A corner from the left was the source of Thurso’s first goal on 29 minutes – a purposeful, far-post finish from Kyle Ross.
Thurso continued to call the shots but their cause was regularly undone by sloppy approach play in the final third.
The visitors showed commendable enterprise in building from the back while their hard-working Duncan Morris made the most of thin rations in his lone role up front.
Nichol was again out of luck on 55 minutes when he gathered a James Murray feed before seeing his booming dive from the edge of the penalty box skim over the bar.
Two minutes later, the striker was denied by a fine, stop from MacGruer.
The visiting defence survived a series of setpieces before Murray doubled the lead on 67 minutes when he cut in from the right wing before steering a shot which appeared to take a deflection as it beat MacGruer on his near post,
Six minutes later, the Easter Ross side were horribly exposed after giving up possession cheaply deep in their half.
With a three-on-one in his favour, Jamie MacKenzie fed Nichol who in turn played in Sandy Sutherland to finish.
Sutherland could have got another before Kyle Ross weighed in with second four minutes from time.
Young sub Murray Mackintosh made an immediate impact when he won possession wide on the left and picked out Nichol.
Nichol, in turn, found Ross who pivoted in the box before firing low past MacGruer.
Michael Petrie then featured with a 40 metre weaving, solo run which ended with him being crowded out at the edge of the six yard box.
Mackintosh had a shot blocked before the visitors almost got a consolation from the lively Lewis Sinclair.
The sub pepped up his side’s attack and went desperately close on 88 minutes when he drifted in from his right wing beat to fire a raking, low effort which shaded less than a foot wide of Michael Gray’s right post with the keeper beaten.
Stewart was hurt during the attack after which he needed lengthy treatment before being carried off the field.
Sinclair was later yellow-carded to add to cautions shown to Morris and Andy MacDonald.
Afterwards, Thurso manager Stevie Reid said: “I thought we were pretty pedestrian in the first half – we seemed to be going through the motions.
“I thought we upped the pace a bit after the interval and created a good few chances.
“Without hitting top gear, we were pretty comfortable.”
Thurso – Gray, Petrie, S. Ross, Bremner, Trueman (Stewart 55), K. Ross, MacKenzie, Nichol, S. Sutherland (Mackintosh 85), Murray (Wann 73), MacDougall. Sub (unused) – M. Sutherland.
Alness United – MacGruer, Campbell, Bremner, Stewart, Niven,
Douglas, Gilliland, Doull, (Mulligan 70), Murray (MacDonald 84), Morris, Rose (Sinclair (70). Subs (unused) – Muir and Mackay
Ref – Mr G. Elder.